Change permissions so only admins can edit column value

Question

Is there any way to create a column in a list that only specific people can edit? Normal users should not be able to edit this column when creating an item.

If it helps the column is meant to be a reference ID for a workflow. It pulls the ID from another list and stores it to be used by the workflow.

Answer 1

There are no column level permissions in SharePoint. To have that, you need to look into a 3rd-party tool such as this: https://store.bamboosolutions.com/sharepoint-column-level-security.aspx

Now if security-by-obscurity is enough for this solution, you could make custom new and edit forms for the list that do not include a field for that column. That way it would at least be "hard" for regular users to change that field (but not impossible).

Answer 2

There is no possibility in SharePoint 2010 to setup Columns and View permission for Lists or Document Libraries. by Microsoft, that there will be a big performance issue if they create something similar to this.

There are free Tool from CodePlex to get this.

http://spcolumnpermission.codeplex.com/

If not allowed, then you have to write your own solutions.

Column Security Level in SharePoint

Another workaround,

there are some existing and new options that will achieve the same results. In the end, you are wanting to keep users from viewing or changing columns... you can:

1. Use the new capabilities of InfoPath to customize the web forms (.aspx): for read-only or hidden
2. Use the new capabilities that give lists RELATIONAL capability to do lookups against a SEPARATE LIST to which the user has only READ permission. So the data "looks" like it's in one place, but is actually in two separate lists
3. Use Access Web Services to manage the forms. AWS can use Data Macros to enable/disable/hide controls based on user / group info Source: https://www.nothingbutsharepoint.com/sites/devwiki/SP2010Dev/Pages/Site%20Column%20level%20security.aspx

Answer 3

There is a very simple way to accomplish this right inside the list.

1. Open List Settings
2. Click on the Column (Column1 for this example) you would like to restrict
3. In Column Validation Settings use the formula =[Column1]<>[Column1]
4. Create a User Message such as " User cannot change this column".

When user tries to change Column1 they will get error.